Interchangeable stringed musical instrument



A ril 28, 1964 c. sAvoNA 3,130,625

INTERCHANGEABLE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 29, 1961 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Char/es Savana 1N VEN TOR.

April 28, 1964 INTERCHANGEABLE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 29, 1961 C- SAVONA 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Charles Savona 1 N VENT OR April 28, 1964 c. SAVONA INTERCHANGEABLE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1961 Cha rIes Savona 1NWENTOK. BY $04016.

United States Patent 3,130,625 INTERCHANGEABLE STRINGEI) MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Charles Savona, 13 N. th St, Paterson 2, NJ. Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No. 113,156 6 Claims. (til. 84-267) This invention comprises a novel and useful interchangeable stringed musical instrument and constitutes a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application Serial No. 793,428, now abandoned, filed February 16, 1959, and with the same title.

This invention relates to stringed musical instruments and provides a readily interchangeable, convertible and completely functionable stringed instrument.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a single base possessing the properties of an acoustical body together with a pair of complete and independent stringed instruments together with means for securely mounting either one or both of these instruments upon the acoustical base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument wherein the acoustical base and a pair of selectively positionable stringed instruments therefor may be readily assembled or disassembled for compact storage and transportation, and whereby one or both of the musical instruments may be quickly but fixedly and functionally secured to the acoustical base.

A further object of the invention is to provide an instrument in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the base may be readily folded or collapsed upon itself to further reduce its dimensions to thereby facilitate transportation and storage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects wherein improved means are provided for rigidly securing the foldable base in its extended and operative position and this regardless of whether one or both of the stringed instruments are mounted upon the base.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a musical instrument of the stringed type having an acoustical body forming a base, sets of tracks secured thereto for selectively and detachably mounting upon the base one or a pair of complete stringed instruments.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects which is readily adaptable to substantially all types of stringed instruments and especially those of the banjo, bass, violin, Spanish guitar and similar types and which shall include instruments of these general types provided with electrical pickups and amplifiers such as electrified guitars, mandolins, banjoes and the like.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 7

FIGURE 1 is a view in top plan showing a preferred construction of this invention and illustrating the manner in which a pair of stringed musical instruments are simultaneously secured to a foldable acoustic base in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the alternative manner in which a single musical stringed instrument is secured to the collapsible base and is utilized to retain the base in its extended or expanded position;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical transverse section taken 3,130,625 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing in particular the arrangement of the track means by which the individual stringed musical instruments are removably secured to the acoustical base;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the tail end of one form of a stringed musical instrument which may be selectively positioned upon the acoustical base of the device;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the fold able base and a locking plate for retaining the base rigidly in its extended and operative position;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the base in its folded position;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view taken from the underside of the tail end of one of the stringed musical instruments which may be utilized with the base of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed View taken in vertical section substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 8-3 of FIGURE 7 and upon an enlarged scale and showing a releasable holding means for securing one of the stringed musical instruments upon the base; and

FIGURE 9 is a further detailed view taken in vertical longitudinal section upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 9-9 of FIG- URE 1.

In accordance with the concept of this invention the preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings consists of an acoustical body or base indicated generally by the numeral 10 and upon which is detachably mounted one or a plurality of complete stringed musical instruments as designated generally by the numerals 12 and 14. It is an essential feature of this invention that a wide variety of different stringed musical instruments two of which are shown at 12 and 14 may be interchangeably employed with the acoustical base 10 in order to obtain a resultant musical device possessing the functions of various selected stringed instruments.

A further essential principle of this invention resides in the provision of means for compactly folding the base, disassembling the components of the device and compactly storing the same into a small volume when desired and for rigidly retaining the base in its expanded and operative position and for releasably securing one or more stringed instruments thereon, and this regardless of whether the instruments are of the electrical pickup and amplifying type or are non-electrified.

Referring first to FIGURES 5 and 6 in particular and in conjunction with FIGURE 3 for a description of and an understanding of the construction and operation of the acoustical base 10, it will be observed that the latter consists of two sections 16 and 18 which are hingedly connected to each other intermediately of the base as by a piano type of hinge 20 of any desired length and which may run the entire length of the base if desired.

For convenience of illustration a preferred construction of the acoustical base consists of a flat panel-like member of suitable material, shape and contour in order to provide the desired physical qualifications for mounting a single or a plurality of stringed instruments thereon and for cooperating acoustically therewith. However, it is within the purview of this invention to form the base In as a hollow body for various reasons of resonance and other acoustical properties as well understood by those skilled in this art, while still retaining the hinged construction of the base.

Upon the top face of the base when in the extended operative position of FIGURE 5 or FIGURE 3, there are provided a plurality of rails or tracks which comprise C3 the fastening means for releasably retaining the stringed instruments 12 and 14 upon the base. These rails are arranged in pairs of cooperating adjacent rails with each pair of adjacent rails serving to selectively receive and retain in a slidable but releasable manner the tail portion of an appropriately equipped stringed musical instrument 12 or 14. These sets of rails or tracks will now be considered in greater detail in connection with FIG- URES 1 and 2. There are provided a pair of centrally disposed tracks or rails each indicated by the numeral 34) and which are disposed in parallel appropriately spaced relation one upon each of the sections 16 and 18 on opposite sides of the hinge 26 thereof. Each of the rails 30 is T-shaped in cross section having a horizontally extending top flange 32 thereon with a parallel horizontally extending and laterally enlarged bottom flange 54, the two flanges being connected together by a vertical web 36.

On each of the sections 16 and 18, and on the outer side thereof from the central rails 30 there is provided an outer rail indicated generally by the numeral 49. Each outer rail is C-shaped in cross section having a horizontal upper flange 42, a laterally enlarged horizontal lower flange 44 together with a vertical web 46. The spacing between the two central rails 30 and the spacing between the latter and the two outer rails is identical to provide three separate guideways or trackways of uniform and equal Width therebetween. The individual rails are fixedly secured to their appropriate corresponding sections of the base as by means of fasteners such as the screws 48.

A locking plate 50, see FIGURES 3 and 5, is provided which is slidably received in the channels defined by the pair of central rails 30, with the outer edges of the locking plate 50 being slidably received between the parallel flanges 32 and 34 of these rails. The arrangement is such that when the locking plate 51) is slid between the two central rails 3'9, its tight engagement with the rails 30 will rigidly secure the two sections 16 and 18 in their extended operative position shown in FIGURE 3. An aperture 52 is provided in the plate 50 to facilitate the engagement thereof by a suitable tool in order to slidingly move this locking plate into or out of its locking engagement.

Referring next to FIGURES 4 and 7 in particular, with general reference being made to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be understood that each of the stringed musical instruments 12 and 14 comprises a complete instrument except for the provision of an acoustical body or base. The instrument 12 is illustrated as an electrical Spanish guitar, having six strings as is customary. The other instrument 14 is illustrated as a stringed bass, consisting as usual of four strings. Since instruments of the character illustrated are fundamentally of the same design, a description of one in detail is thought to be suflicient for understanding the manner in which these instruments are adapted to cooperate with the acoustical base and be detachably mounted thereon and acoustically connected thereto.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 4 and 7, each instrument, whether 12 or 14, or some other interchangeable stringed instrument, consists of a single elongated appropriately shaped member of body 60 of wood, plastic or other suitable material. At its tail end, this body consists of a generally rectangular portion 62. The forward portions of the body 60, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, have the usual head 64 and 66, respectively for the instruments 12 and 14, carrying the usual pegs 68 by which the individual strings 70 are tuned in the usual manner.

Referring again particularly to FIGURES 4 and 7 it will be observed that the rectangular portion 62 has elongated flat plates 72 fixedly secured to the underside of the portion 62 as by fastening screws 74 and projecting laterally beyond the sides of these portions.

As will be observed from FIGURES 3, 4 and 7 in particular, the flat keys or strips 72 project laterally beyond the sides of the body 62 so that they may be slidingly received in the channels formed between the upper and lower flanges 32, 34 or 42, 44 of the central rails 30 or the center and outer raiis 3i? and 49. Since these rails are open at their opposite ends, the bodies with their keys 72 may be readily slid into or out of the rails, and when engaged between a pair of adjacent rails will be firmly secured and held to the acoustical body in a tight acoustical relationship therewith.

Since the spacing between pairs of adjacent rails 40, 30 or between 30 and 36 is identical, it is evident that each of the bodies 62 may be selectively engaged and positioned with one of the three sets of rails so as to constitute either of the pair of parallel instruments shown in FIGURE 1 or a centrally disposed instrument in FIG- URE 2. When a single instrument 12 or some other string instrument is employed with the base, the instrument is disposed centrally of the base so that its keys 72 by engagement in the tracks or rails 30 will replace the locking plate and serve to lock the two sections of the hinged base in their extended position.

However, when both instruments are employed, they will then be placed usually in the two outer sets of tracks 40, 3t? so that each will be secured to its own sections 16 or 13 and the locking plate St is then employed to lock the two sections in extended position.

Although the invention has been shown as applied to a base having provision for only one or two stringed instruments mounted thereon, it will be understood that any desired number of tracks may be employed so that more than two instruments can be mounted upon a single acoustical base, if desired.

In order to detachably but firmly secure the individual stringed instruments 12 or 14 into their desired position upon the acoustical base 10, there is provided a resilient latching means for this purpose. Thus, as will be more readily apparent from FIGURES 3 and 8, each of the bodies 62 of the musical instrument is provided with a recess 3% extending upwardly thereinto from its bottom surface. The keyway plates 72 are likewise apertured as at 32 and a cylindrical housing 84 having a flanged lower rim 86 is received in this recess and aperture as shown in FIGURE 8. The cylindrical body 84 at its uppermost end is open being provided with an inturned annular rim as at 38 to provide a shoulder against which is received a disk 99 comprising a seat or base for a compression spring 92. The latter, received within the cylindrical body 84 has its lower end surrounding the stem portion 94 on a bullet-shaped detent 96 which projects through a seating collar or flange 98 and through the open lower end of the member 8th and below the surface of the body 62 and of the key members 72 thereon. This downwardly projecting resiliently urged head portion 96 is engageable in corresponding appropriately positioned recesses 100 which are formed at the top surface of the panel sections 16 and 18 so that when one of the stringed instruments 12 or 14 is moved to the desired position in a corresponding pair of tracks or rails, the detents 96 will be resiliently urged into the recesses 100 to thus releasably retain the instruments in proper position.

The usual controls are provided for regulating the electric pickup and amplifying circuits which may be connected to the instruments, but inasmuch as these are of general construction and do not in themselves constitute part of the invention claimed herein, a further description of the same is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A musical device comprising an acoustical base consisting of a pair of sections hingedly connected medially of said base for selective folding between folded and extended positions, a stringed musical instrument including a body portion, a plurality of pairs of parallel rails mounted on the sections of said base, keys on said body portion slidably engageable selectively in each pair of rails, one of said pairs of rails lying on opposite sides of the hinged connection, means received in said last pair of rails for rigidly securing said sections in their extended position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion of said stringed instrument comprises said securing means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a unitary plate.

4. The combination of claim 1 including four tracks forming three pairs of uniformly spaced adjacent tracks, said instrument being selectively slidably and releasably engageable in each of said three pairs of tracks.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein each track comprises a rail having spaced, rigidly connected parallel top and bottom flanges defining therebetween a channel slidably receiving and retaining said keys and said body portion.

6 6. A musical device comprising an acoustical base having a flat top surface, a plurality of pairs of tracks secured to and projecting above the top surface of said base, a complete stringed musical instrument including a body with tail and neck portions, strings on said body anchored to said tail and neck portions and removable with said body as a unit, means on the tail portion of said body slidably and releasably and interchangeably engaging a pair of tracks for detachably mounting said instrument upon said base, said plurality of pairs of tracks comprising four parallel and equidistantly spaced tracks providing three pairs of tracks whereby a musical instrument may be selectively but slidably and releasably disposed in the middle pair of tracks or selectively in either or both of the two outer pairs of tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,127 Angeli Jan. 23, 1940 2,238,241 Abrams Apr. 15, 1941 2,911,870 Baur Nov. 10, 1959 

1. A MUSICAL DEVICE COMPRISING AN ACOUSTICAL BASE CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF SECTIONS HINGEDLY CONNECTED MEDIALLY OF SAID BASE FOR SELECTIVE FOLDING BETWEEN FOLDED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS, A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT INCLUDING A BODY PORTION, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF PARALLEL RAILS MOUNTED ON THE SECTIONS OF SAID BASE, KEYS ON SAID BODY PORTION SLIDABLY ENGAGEABLE SELECTIVELY IN EACH PAIR OF RAILS, ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF RAILS LYING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HINGED CONNECTION, MEANS RECEIVED IN SAID LAST PAIR OF RAILS FOR RIGIDLY SECURING SAID SECTIONS IN THEIR EXTENDED POSITION. 